£2,000 if you swap an old diesel for a green new BMW or Mini

BMW has launched a new scrappage-style scheme that offers owners of older diesel cars an extra £2,000 off any new BMW or Mini – provided the new car emits 130g/km CO2 or less.

The BMW ‘Lower Emissions Allowance’ incentive is targeting owners of diesels with Euro 4 emissions compliance or less: in other words, most cars built before 1 September 2009 (BMW and Mini car dealers will help determine whether your vehicle is eligible or not).

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The £2,000 allowance is on top of any other trade-in prices, dealer offers, discounts or government incentives, meaning owners of older cars could potentially get quite a tasty incentive to swap into a modern Euro 6 model.

BMW is not forcing people into a petrol car or plug-in hybrid, either: all new models are eligible for the saving, provided they emit 130g/km CO2 or less. “For those who the alternative drivetrains do not suit their lifestyle we still offer allowance qualifying Euro-6 compliant petrol and diesel engine cars that are cleaner than ever,” said BMW Group UK CEO Graeme Grieve.

BMW does, however, point out that it has a decent range of electrified and electric models, including the i3, i8, BMW I Performance plug-in hybrids and the new Mini Countryman PHEV…

The small print

Not everyone can just go and buy an old diesel tomorrow in order to save £2,000 on a new BMW or Mini, though. “To ensure fairness,” customers must have owned the car for at least a year. The new model must also be registered to the same name and address as the old trade-in dirty diesel.

BMW vows dealers will give a “suitable average price” for their old car as trade-in: this is on top of the £2,000 allowance.

Only private buyers can take up the offer (sorry, those running seriously tired fleets of diesels) and all new cars must be registered by 31 December 2017.

“BMW offers the widest range of low emission vehicles of any manufacturer,” said Grieve. “We know in the early phases that people still need some incentive to make the jump to fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles and that is why we are delighted to announce this new allowance.”

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